KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran has handed over 199 Afghan nationals convicted and imprisoned in Iranian jails to Taliban authorities via the Nimroz border.
According to a statement from the Taliban governor’s office in Nimroz province, the Taliban, in return, handed over two Iranian prisoners to Tehran “as a gesture of goodwill and positive engagement.”
Yousuf Misteri, head of the Taliban’s prison administration, said the prisoner transfer began Thursday evening and is part of a broader agreement under which Iran is expected to repatriate a total of 484 Afghan inmates.
Misteri said the returned prisoners will be transferred to their respective home provinces in Afghanistan to serve the remainder of their sentences.
Last month, Iran also repatriated a separate group of 484 Afghan prisoners.
According to Iranian officials, most of the inmates were convicted on drug-related charges and were serving general prison sentences.
